Sloppy play helps Cornhuskers
Published Feb. 6, 2007
Just one week earlier, the Missouri men's basketball team gave a full house at Mizzou Arena a huge thrill when it upset Texas Tech. But this time, in front of another crowd of 15,061, the Tigers suffered a surprising home loss that ended whatever NCAA tournament talk there was when MU started 9-0.
As dejected fans left Saturday afternoon, the "Alma Mater" sounded more like a funeral song. That's because Missouri (13-8, 2-6) shot just 31 percent in the second half and fell at home, 66-61, to the Nebraska Cornhuskers, a team that had not won on the road all season.
"We had a lot of chances today," coach Mike Anderson said. "But we didn't knock shots down in the second half."
Nebraska star center Aleks Maric had 12 points and eight rebounds in the second half, including a pair of critical offensive rebounds late in the game that allowed the Huskers to take control.
The Tigers led most of the game until there were less than 14 minutes left, when the Huskers (13-8, 2-5) took a 52-49 lead. The Tigers hovered within three or four points of Nebraska but could never hit the shot they needed to regain the lead, much to Anderson's dismay.
"When you get inside of five, six minutes, you have got to make plays," he said. "And we didn't."
Before freshman guard Keon Lawrence, who led the Tigers with 18 points, hit a meaningless 3-pointer at the buzzer, the Tigers had not made a field goal in the game's final 3:58.
Junior forward Marshall Brown said Missouri was still smarting from its loss at Kansas State on Wednesday, and it took away their focus.
"We felt like Kansas State was a game we were supposed to win," he said. "But we weren't focused today."
That lack of focus allowed Nebraska to out-rebound the Tigers 37-31, the first time the Huskers had more rebounds than their opponent in the Big 12 this season.
MU's fate was sealed when Maric missed two free throws, but the Huskers were able to get the rebound and score.
"Maric misses two free throws and we don't get the rebound," Anderson said. "We have to improve on the glass."
Nebraska coach Doc Sadler said the Huskers, playing their first game since being blown out by Kansas on Jan. 29, came back focused after being knocked down.
"Monday night was a bad night," he said. "But after we got hit in the mouth, we woke back up. To get a win tonight was huge for us."
Perhaps nobody embodied Missouri's struggles more than junior guard Matt Lawrence, who went scoreless in 22 minutes. Anderson removed him from the game for a couple key possessions and said he thought his confidence was hurt.
"It was more Matt than anything," he said. "Mentally, he's gotta bring it."
While Matt Lawrence was sitting out with less than two minutes in the game, Keon Lawrence missed a needed 3-pointer.
"I was just so energized," Keon Lawrence said. "I wanted it too bad, really. I guess I should've pulled it out and set up a play."
For Brown, the loss seemed to be about MU's inability to execute fundamentals.
"Rebounding, shooting, all of it," he said. "It comes down to the small things. All those things count, and we didn't do them."